Journalist Russert to fight federal subpoenas (Plame leak case)

AP ^ | 5.24.04

[ambrose]

May 24, 2004

Last modified May 24, 2004 - 12:39 am

Journalist Russert to fight federal subpoenas

Associated Press

NEW YORK - Tim Russert from NBC and a journalist from Time Inc. have received federal subpoenas to face questioning about the alleged leak of an undercover CIA weapons expert's identity, but both news organizations said Sunday they would fight the subpoenas.

The companies said the subpoenas came from a special grand jury investigating whether the Bush administration improperly disclosed the identity of the agent, Valerie Plame, after her husband, former diplomat Joseph Wilson, publicly challenged the White House's claim that Iraq had been trying to obtain uranium for nuclear weapons from Africa.

Wilson has charged that officials made the disclosure in an effort to discredit him.

Plame was first identified as a CIA specialist on weapons of mass destruction by syndicated columnist and TV commentator Robert Novak last July. Novak said his information came from administration sources, but has declined to name them.

NBC and Time said the subpoenas were aimed at Russert, the "Meet the Press" host and moderator, and Time magazine reporter Matthew Cooper, both of whom have reported on the Plame controversy.

Novak's office has declined repeatedly to say whether he has been subpoenaed or cooperated with investigators.

NBC News president Neal Shapiro said the Russert subpoena was misdirected because he was "not the recipient of the leak." The subpoena, he said, would have a "potential chilling effect" on the network's ability to report the news.

"The American public will be deprived of important information if the government can freely question journalists about their efforts to gather news," Shapiro said in a statement. "Sources will simply stop speaking to the press if they fear those conversations will become public."

Robin Bierstedt, a Time Inc. vice president and deputy general counsel, said the Time subpoena referred to two articles by Cooper and others, one on the Time.com Web site on July 17, 2003, and the other in the magazine's June 21, 2003 issue.

Time planned to file a motion next month asking that the subpoena be quashed, she said.

"It is Time Inc.'s policy to protect its confidential sources," she said. "While we would like all of our reporting to be on the record, a promise of confidentiality is sometimes necessary to get information that would otherwise be unavailable."

Patrick J. Sullivan, a special counsel in the grand jury inquiry, has repeatedly declined to comment on the case.

Justice Department guidelines for criminal prosecutions state that all avenues should be explored before reporters are subpoenaed or approached in an investigation. The issuing of new subpoenas for reporters may indicate that the investigation is nearing an end.

[ambrose]

Sort of surprised that this was never posted...

[ambrose]

..

[Sir Gawain]

Russert is a holier than thou nerd.

[Elkiejg]

"The American public will be deprived of important information if the government can freely question journalists about their efforts to gather news," Shapiro said in a statement. "Sources will simply stop speaking to the press if they fear those conversations will become public."

This is so much BS. This is called BEING RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR ACTIONS. Journalists are slugs who are actively working against America - it's about time they lose their protected status.

[Just mythoughts]

"NBC News president Neal Shapiro said the Russert subpoena was misdirected because he was "not the recipient of the leak." The subpoena, he said, would have a "potential chilling effect" on the network's ability to report the news."


So what are you guys hiding Neal Shapiro????? Inquiring minds want to know and we the PEOPLE have a right to know.

The day the liberals declared the Constitution a living document was the day they started killing it.

[G.Mason]

According to anonymous sources ... "The American public will be deprived of important information if the government can freely question journalists about their efforts to gather news," Shapiro said in a statement. "Sources will simply stop speaking to the press if they fear those conversations will become public".

Deprivation is a terrible thing to waste.

[swilhelm73]

Frankly, I think we've reached the point where reporters should be taught to only quote someone if you are willing to use the person's name.

Between the NYT, Capitol Hill Blue, and the BBC we've seen the press making up attributions or using false sources (intentionally or not). And perhaps we should also consider the nearly universal tendency to exaggerate about who sources are. Most of these senior and high level officials you hear mentioned aren't.

[bondjamesbond]

Russert could just say he got her name out of the publicly available CIA telephone directory. She was not a covert operative. They listed her name in the phone book.

[DainBramage]

"Mr Powell..someone on your staff has cut us off....

I think that innappropriate sir...the taxpayers blah blah blah sir..."

Looks like its time to do your duty as an American there Timmie...tell us the truth for once.

[CPOSharky]

"Sources will simply stop speaking to the press if they fear those conversations will become public."

And this is a bad thing?

[eureka!]

"Time magazine reporter Matthew Cooper"

I read that this Clymer is married to Mandy Grunwald, a DNC shill who was all over the TV defending the 'Toon. I doubt Cooper has W friendly sources. This may backfire. Oh, to know what the grand jury does....

[Not a 60s Hippy]

We are at the point where the media can print any lies they can think up. They will then say they got it from the Bush cabinet. It is from a "confidential source" and refuse to name that person.

[tonyinv]

Notice how there is no furor over the "Plame Investigation". The President has hired a attorney and still there isn't a big deal being made about this so called scandal.

I suspect the Dems/media didn't think the Bush Administration was going to follow up on this and they'd be able to use it as an issue in the campaign.

Looks like the President has foiled their plans again by NOT being your average Washington politician.